Electrical – Wrap indoor USB adapter into plastic bag for outdoor usage

electricaloutdoorreceptacle

I spliced 120V AC wires coming to the lamp so that I would have electricity for the USB adapter that would power USB camera (USB is used only to power the camera. The actual data transfer happens over WiFi). I put the USB adapter behind the black metal thing that attaches lamp to the wall.

Camera Installation (with imitated USB cable)

While everything is under the roof and should not directly get in touch with water I still had this "awesome" idea to wrap the USB adapter into a plastic bag "just-in-case" water would somehow get there. However, now I am having second thought about this awesome idea because I am afraid that the plastic bag could actually facilitate condensate to form on the adapter and possibly damage it.

  1. How worried I should be about using plastic wrap around the USB adapter (note, that this is dry California)? Would plastic wrap actually allow condensate to form and possibly cause short in USB adapter?
  2. The USB adapter had a warning notice that explicitly mentioned that it is intended to be used only indoors. Just to be on the safe side, should I be worried about using indoor electronics in the way I did under the roof? Why?

The plug of USB adapter

Best Answer

  1. You say the adapter is behind the light shroud. I wouldn't be worried about that part. Besides you will have to poke a hole in the plastic bag for the plug and the cable thereby making it no longer moisture proof. Adapters and cables are fairly cheap and it should last for a while depending on your weather.

  2. If the adapter itself shorts internally (which is not likely considering where you put it, and the fact that it is sealed) it could trip your breaker but probably won't draw enough current to melt or cause a fire.

I would be more concerned with the cable to the camera and having moisture (maybe fog?) condense on the cable and drip into the camera. If you can rotate the camera and have the cable enter from the bottom then any moisture will drip off the cable before it gets to the connection with the camera.

Good Luck!